Apple iTablet due in November?

Despite no official word from Apple, the rumours of a Mac Tablet refuse to die - and this latest hints that we could see an announcement from theCupertino-based company as early as September.

According to a report over on Barron's - via I4U - an analyst is claiming to have seen a prototype of a "slate-style computer" which the company is planning to announce in September for possible release in the US in November.

Expected to retail for somewhere in the region of $800 (£480), the Mac OS-based device is centred around the multimedia experience: the anonymous analyst claims that the tablet was "better than the average movie experience, when you hold this thing in your hands" and confirmed that the device supports high-definition video playback - scotching rumours that any Apple Tablet would be little more than a souped-up iPhone.

The analyst - who has asked not to be named - also states that it is "close [...] now to a final design" and that the device is already pretty much ready to go out of the door.

The move makes a lot of sense for Apple, as an ultra-low voltage device based around a simplified Mac OS would give it an entry into the lucrative netbook market without having to backtrack on its earlier scathing indictments of that particular industry sector. Further, we know the demand for an Apple tablet PC is there - enough so that the unofficial ModBook device fromAxiotron can enjoy reasonable success.

Would a Mac OS-based tablet fill you with the deepest joy, or are you still unconvinced at any full-size device that expects you to ditch your keyboard and mouse - no matter how pretty? Share your thoughts over in the forums.